Hector Trochez, an armored-truck guard, knew the dangers he faced every day when he left his Kenner home for work, where he was responsible for transporting thousands of dollars throughout the city. Even so, he never seemed fearful, friends said. He was proud of his job.

Trochez, 45, was unloading money at a busy Uptown bank Wednesday around 10:45 a.m. when three gunmen in hoodies approached and opened fire, police said. As Trochez lay dying behind his Loomis truck, the assailants grabbed the cash and fled.

Trochez's neighbors said they were shocked and saddened to hear of his death, as they acknowledged the risks of his career, which he often discussed. "His job is about as dangerous as a cop's," said Richard Miller, a neighbor and close friend. "A cop carries a gun. This guy carries a gun and a bunch of money."

After the shooting, New Orleans police and FBI agents descended on the Chase Bank at 2331 S. Carrollton Ave. They interviewed customers and employees, visited nearby businesses to obtain surveillance footage and blocked off Carrollton and Claiborne avenues as they combed the area for evidence and clues.

A mover unloading furniture nearby said he heard gunshots, then saw a tan Chevy Tahoe screech down Claiborne Avenue and make a quick turn, followed closely by two other speeding cars. Police said the gunmen drove the Tahoe about six blocks, near Adams and Green streets, before dumping it. They apparently drove the Tahoe through a narrow opening between an occupied house and an abandoned house, and left it in the backyard.

Then, they got into a gray Hyundai, which bears a license plate that includes the numbers 141654, according to police. Police described the suspects as three men, 5 feet, 7 inches to 5 feet, 9 inches tall, all wearing dark jackets and hooded sweatshirts. One of the suspects may have had dreadlocks, police said.

Authorities were still searching for the gunmen Wednesday night.

The frequency of armored-car robberies varies by city. While Boston, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles have not experienced any armored-car robberies this year, Houston has seen 11, about one-third of the nationwide total this year, according to FBI data in a Dec. 7 New York Times article. An FBI spokeswoman confirmed that statistic.

But the Chase Bank attack was the first such robbery in New Orleans since Dec. 13, 2007, when three masked men exchanged gunfire with a security guard while stealing cash from an armored truck at the Capital One Bank at 1100 S. Carrollton Ave. That case has not been solved, said FBI spokeswoman Mary Beth Romig.

Authorities would not respond to questions about whether they believe the crimes are linked, citing the ongoing investigation. The robberies happened one mile and six years apart. But they share some similarities. Both involved three gunmen, as well as some planning involving the getaway cars. And in both crimes, the perpetrators struck shortly before Christmas, around the same time of day.

A firearms instructor who lives a few houses away from the Chase Bank that was hit Wednesday said that at the time of the 2007 bank robbery and shootout, he lived "just yards" away from that bank.

"It's Christmas -- people get desperate and they'll do anything," Jonathan Limjuco said. "My reaction? Duck. This is New Orleans, after all. Anything can happen in broad daylight."

Limjuco, who teaches firearm use at Concealed Carry NOLA, said the "rapid succession" gunfire -- about a dozen shots -- sounded like it came from a semiautomatic gun, with either 9 mm or .40 caliber bullets.

A technician at Take 5 Oil across Claiborne Avenue also said he heard about a dozen gunshots before seeing cars stream out of the parking lot. "They started clearing out of there," Corey Martin said.

Investigators laid at least 15 cones to mark bullet casings.

Carolyn Treaudo Bell said her niece was the other guard of the Loomis vehicle and was unharmed. The woman called her aunt in tears, saying her partner was shot. "She was crying, she was just overwhelmed, just in grief," Treaudo Bell said shortly after the shooting.

She said she had been worried about her niece's job since she started working as an armed guard about a year ago. "I'm thankful," her aunt said, "but so really upset about her partner."

Two Jesuit High School students said they were driving along Carrollton Avenue and passed by the bank just moments after the shooting, before police arrived.

A crowd of people was standing at the edge of the bank parking lot as if they had just run away from the bank, the students said. They said they saw a gray backpack-sized bag with a large padlock on it lying on the ground behind the Loomis truck, and a woman in the passenger's seat of the truck banging on the window frantically.

A Loomis spokesman gave a brief statement: "Our greatest concern is taking care of our employee's family and their privacy." The spokesman said the company would not provide further information while local and federal authorities are conducting an investigation.

There was no answer at Trochez's Kenner home later that evening. Miller, 71, Trochez's next-door neighbor, said Trochez was married but had no children. Trochez's parents live in East Jefferson.

Miller said he and the Trochezes were "best neighbors." The couple would hold the keys to his apartment when he was away and he would return the favor. "When the Saints would play, I'd go pound on the bathroom wall after touchdowns," Miller said, wanting to share his glee with the neighbor with whom he shared a common wall.

Trochez was a very friendly, outgoing guy who liked to fish and would occasionally share his catch. "He had an outstanding personality," Miller said.

Another neighbor, Forrest Burgess, 68, echoed that sentiment. "He would do anything for you," Burgess said.

At 6-foot-1 with a heavy build, Trochez was a big man who exuded machismo, neighbors said. He took his work very seriously, said Miller, who talked often with Trochez about his job.

Whether he was in a bank or a casino, Trochez was always very conscious of those around him, Miller said. "If somebody got too close, he would tell them to get away," Miller said. Trochez never seemed fearful about the dangers of his job, he said.

Police ask anyone with information about the shooting or the suspects to call lead NOPD Homicide Detective Joseph Jefferson at 504.658.5300 or Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111.

Staff writer Michelle Hunter contributed to this story.

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An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Jonathan Limjuco as the owner of Concealed Carry NOLA. He teaches classes there.